Netflix is now in Canada, offering local subscribers an online movie and TV streaming service for $7.99 a month. The move marks the first international foray for the California-based online streaming/DVD-by-mail giant. Etan Vlessing caught up with Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings in Toronto as he reaches beyond his 15 million American subscribers to start rolling out his online subscription service around the world.

Quote

THR: Are you concerned that American Netflix subscribers will look north and ask for the same discount Canadians get at $7.99?

Hastings:How much has it been your experience that Americans follow what happens in the world? It's something we'll monitor, but Americans are somewhat self-absorbed.

wow, way to insult 15 million American subscribers to netflix.

Logged

There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far~ ruminations

As much as I agree that Americans really don't pay much attention to the rest of the world, I still feel this is a very careless remark. Being in a customer service-based company, he's really not in a position to be making cultural commentary, especially not of the scathing variety.

If anything Canadians should be upset at paying a premium, as they only get streaming services and not DVD rentals. Maybe Netflix could offer streaming only with no DVD rentals for Americans for the same price.

Logged

"The basic plot is that Donna Speir and Hope Marie Carlton, the two undercover DEA agent Playboy Playmates from the last movie, are still running around in jungle shorts, cowboy boots and spaghetti strap T-shirts, firing their machine guns at drug smugglers, Filipino communist guerrillas, and corrupt federal agents while their two friends, Lisa London and Miss May 1984 Patty Duffek, lounge around the pool a lot and talk on speaker phones that look like fax machines."-Joe Bob on SAVAGE BEACH

Its not nice but I doubt I'll cancel my subscription over it. And self admiringly, I am a bit self absorbed.

Yeah, I'm not going to hold it against Netflix. The CEO is also American, and made the statement as a self-deprecating joke. Unfortunately, sarcasm is difficult to pick up in the written word, and you know people. They will (and apparently already have) blow it out of proportion.

EDIT:Wow... Google "Netflix CEO Americans" and see all the banter. One person even claimed that he called Americans "dumb as f**k," which he clearly didn't. With as fast as this has spread on the internet, the general public might give a crap in about a month. Might.

I'd have to go with the joke theory, considering he's American himself. Not a very good joke at all, but corporate CEO's aren't usually known for their comic genius. Considering I watch 5 or 6 Netflix movies a week, I guess I'll let it slide

Logged

I know that I am stupid but when I look around me I feel a lot better.

My Big American Foot is in my mouth. Yesterday, I made an awkward joke with a reporter in Toronto about Americans (like me) being self-absorbed relative to Netflix pricing in Canada. I was wrong to have made the joke, and I do not believe that one of the most philanthropically-minded nations in the world (America) is self-absorbed or full of self-absorbed people. The pricing Netflix is offering in Canada, $7.99 per month, does not include any DVD-by-mail option, and that is why it is cheaper than our $8.99 USA plan which has both DVD-by-mail and streaming in one plan. We are looking at adding a streaming-only option for the USA over the coming months. My apologies to anyone offended by my self-absorbed comment. Sincerely, -Reed

Logged

There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far~ ruminations